Thursday, December 25, 2008

The homeless and hungry outside the Emmanuel Dining Room on Christmas Eve did not expect to have a security wand waved up and down their bodies as they waited to be served lunch. But then, it isn't often that a vice president-elect of the United States serves them their meal.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Continuing his valedictory media tour, President Bush and his family sat down with People magazine. While discussing what he plans to do after he leaves the White House, President Bush said he'd be open to suggestions.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about life after the White House?

The President: It's hard to tell, hard to imagine what it's like to go from 100 miles an hour to 5. I'm going to want to build a policy institute at Southern Methodist, probably write a book. And beyond that, I'm open for suggestions. [laughter]

OK, here's a suggestion:

Just go die, you sociopathic little motherfucker. Why not consider visiting upon yourself a little of the suffering you've inflicted upon thousands and thousands of others?

Thursday, December 11, 2008

The day that some gutless state legislature (TX, anyone?) allows passage of a law permitting students to carry concealed weapons on campus is the day I--and Dharmonia--pick up and move to another state and job. Not out of fear for my safety--I've taken guns away from people before this--but because I will not work in an environment in which politicians of such cowardice permit the ratcheting-up of danger to my students.

And don't give me that bullshit about how it would "allow students to protect themselves in the event of a campus shooter incident." It might--but it would massively increase the odds of students themselves make stupid weapons decisions. More people die from firearms in the hands of people they know than are ever killed by "random shooters."

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Every single one of these people just made my Netflix "priority" list, as if they weren't there already. As my hero Frank Zappa said, "You know what those right-wing nutjobs hate, more than anything? They hate it when you laugh at them--they really hate that, it's like they're a hot-air balloon that just got pricked and it flies around the room making rude noises."

Marc Blitzstein (heroic composer of The Cradle Will Rock) is alive and well.

Extra credit: spot all the other Hollywood stalwarts who make up the balance of the cast. I've got:

About Me

In the wake of tenure, now able to de-cloak and stand by abusive and acerbic opinions contained herein. Disclaimer: these are personal opinions expressed in public space--which the members of a free democracy are (once again) permitted to do. If you disagree, complain to me, not my employers.
Associate professor and Chair of musicology and Director of the Vernacular Music Center.